NEWS

In Brief

SERVICE CHARGE

Archbishop tells priests to stop asking for money from faithful The archbishop of Crete, Irenaios, has written to all of the island’s priests telling them not ask worshippers to make donations to the Church in return for carrying out a baptism, or marriage and funeral services. It is common for holy men to request cash on such occasions but Irenaios suggested that, given the current economic crisis, the Church should think carefully about its behavior. «The recent events in Athens carry many messages that we need to contemplate,» he said in a letter sent to all of Crete’s churches. «It is not possible or permissible for church services to be accompanied by a price list,» the archbishop said. «Clerics should not turn into businessmen.» CHILD DROWNS Boy falls into swimming pool Police are investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the death of a 5-year-old boy who drowned late on Thursday night after falling into a swimming pool in a village in Achaia, near Patra. It is thought that the boy fell into the pool after wandering away from his parents, according to police. Appeals court The Council of State, has rejected the government’s plan to build four new appeals court complexes, it emerged yesterday. A presidential decree had been issued to pave the way for the construction of new court buildings in Iraklio, Evia, Agrinio and Lesvos but the Council of State, which is Greece’s highest administrative court, ruled that the proper legal process had not been followed. It said that if the government wants to go ahead with the projects, it would have to ask the Supreme Court to provide a new assessment of the judicial system’s needs. Psomiadis ruling An Athens court yesterday ordered the confiscation of 15.5 million euros’ worth of assets belonging to Pavlos Psomiadis, the president of Aspis Pronia Life Insurance firm. The ruling came a day after 157 investors in Aspis Capital lodged legal suits calling for the seizure of assets from Psomiadis and his family. Psomiadis and his assistant Andreas Loizos face charges of providing the company’s creditors with a false 550-million-euro letter of guarantee from a British bank in order to keep the business afloat. Power cuts The union representing workers at the Public Power Corporation (PPC) has called for rolling 48-hour strikes as of Tuesday to protest the government’s austerity measures and its plans to reform the country’s creaking pension system. It is likely that the action will disrupt power supply across the country. The union condemned the government for «succumbing to the pressure of [global financial] markets» to the detriment of the Greek people. Railway closure The Kifissia-Piraeus electric railway (ISAP) service will be interrupted on Sunday and Monday, May 16 and 17, between Ano Patissia and Irini stations. The number X15 bus will be replacing the service. On Tuesday, May 18, there will be no trains from Nea Ionia station to Kifissia, though its Piraeus-bound platform will be in operation. Also, trains headed to Piraeus will continue to bypass Aghios Nikolaos and Kato Patissia.

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